Fya Fox – Sunset
Fantastic Ms Fox.
Hailing from the Monaghan/Armagh border area, classically trained singer Fya Fox (top) follows on from her acclaimed ‘BODY‘ single with this short but powerful emotive pop gem.
Nick says: Fox muse.
Tag Archives: Nick Kelly
Soda Blonde – Small Talk
Soda so good.
The title track from the new album by irrepressible electro-pop gurus Soda Blonde gets a slick and polished video courtesy of director Adam O’Regan.
The band’s Irish and UK tour kicks off on August 13 at the Wild Roots Festival in Sligo.
Nick says: Faye of light.
The Zen Arcade – High Fidelity
Zen and the art of power pop maintenance.
Featuring three members of erstwhile Cavan band The Strypes, The Zen Arcade return with a new EP whose title track is named after the group’s own popular podcast.
The video was directed by Pete O’Hanlon.
Nick says: Arcade on fire.
Rachel Mae Hannon – Alright
These green boots were made for walking.
Monaghan-born, Dublin-based neo-soul singer and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Mae Hannon (top) presents a fresh new twist on an old genre with this single from her forthcoming debut EP Like It Is.
Chris Walsh plays bass, David Joyce plays guitar and the slick promo was directed, edited and shot by Rachel, Aisling Grennan and Barry Kavanagh.
Nick says: Mae day.
Jenny Hallahan Quartet – This Life
What better way to soundtrack a swelteringly hot summer afternoon than with some slinky jazz?
Kildare composer and bassist Jenny Hallahan (top) lays down a smooth groove with her band on the title track of her new EP.
Jenny is joined by: Owen O’Neill (baritone sax), Luke Dunford (piano) and Dylan Lynch (drums).
Nick says: Nice.
Pop Wallace – Synthetic Dancing Shoes
Do you wanna trance?
Born in Carlow but now living in Phoenix, Arizona, singer/producer Pop Wallace (top) goes all in with this instrumental deep house groove that might take some listeners back to the halcyon days of The Kitchen.
Pop writes:
“For anyone who’s ever done yolks while watching the cyberpunk collection ads on manga entertainment videos…”
Nick says: Pop art.
Chris Short featuring SJ Talbot – Flint And Steel
Come on, baby, light my fire.
Dublin singer/songwriter Chris Short (top) teams up with SJ Talbot for a duet crackling with tension and emotion.
The song can be found on his debut 4-song EP Somewhere.
The video was directed by Robert Montgomery and stars dancers Andrea Williams and Kevin Hayes.
Nick says: Get Short.
EMR – Stuck On The Puzzle
“I’m not the kind of fool who’s gonna sit and sing to you about stars, girl.”
Skerries, County Dublin singer/songwriter/ sound engineer/multi-instrumentalist and podcaster Eimear O’Sullivan (top) pays tribute to one of her inspirations with this gorgeous cover of Stuck On The Puzzle by Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner.
It’s great to see an artist blossoming like this, and singing with such poise and confidence.
EMR writes:
“I made a cover and a little music video to say thanks to one of my all time favourite songs. It’s Stuck on the Puzzle by Alex Turner. I hope you’ll have a listen, and if you enjoy it, give it a like! I really appreciate all the support you guys have given me in the last two years, it’s all starting to pay off.”
Nick says: A shoo-in for the Turner Prize.
Rushes – Funds
Lost in the supermarket.
Alt.pop newcomer Rushes (top) returns to the scene of the old late night job he held as a teenager in Fields, Skibbereen, West Cork.
The creative director of the promo is Stephanie Naughter.
Rushes writes:
“I was spending all the money I had on travelling to London, Berlin, anywhere that I could work on my music and I was in sessions all day, forgetting to eat, then going somewhere starving and my card gets declined, so I was saying to myself, fuck it, you’re going to be experiencing this now, but hopefully that won’t be the case once things start going right.”
Nick says: Amen.
Orla Gartland – Zombie!
The zombie apocalypse is here. And Orla’s new video is great too.
The 26-year-old Dublin-born, London-based alt.pop singer (top) is a YouTube sensation with 21 million views on her channel.
This single – NOT a cover of the Cranberries hit – is from her debut album Woman On The Internet, due next month, and the bug-eyed promo was directed by Orla and Greta Isaac.
Nick says: Undeadly.